Many automotive components are manufactured using both woven and nonwoven fabrics. Such components include molded floor systems, floor mats, trunk mats, seat backs, package trays and cargo compartments. Nonwoven fabrics demonstrate the potential to assist in decreasing vehicle weight while improving comfort and aesthetics, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, thermal insulation, and sound insulation characteristics. However, conventional needle punched fabrics, in particular, tend to matt or distort during the molding processes. In addition, development continues with the goal to drive the weight and cost of the fabric down while maintaining, if not improving upon, properties exhibited by heavier woven and nonwoven textiles currently in use.